Good art in public places is one of the hallmarks of a great city. Here are images of sculptures, monuments, memorials, murals, reliefs, fountains and amenities at public places in Chicago... A Blog dedicated to the Sculpture Community of Chicago... Past, Present and Future...

These staues have a very interesting story. The plaque as seen the the middle of the stautes reads.."These two statues one symbolizing agriculture and the other industry once stood at the main entrance of the Board of Trade Building built in 1885. The statues greeted commodity traders and the public for 45 years. Thought lost forever when the buildings were demolished in 1929 to make way for the exchange's current Art Deco structure in 2005, the statues were graciously returned to their origins through the generosity and goodwill of DuPage County Forest Preserve District." .... These statues were uncovered from the Lake Preserve forest..

Jean Dubuffet described this sculpture as a "drawing that extends into space" and hoped it would reach to the men on the streets. Jean Dubuffet felt a special affection for Chicago, home to one of his three monumental sculpture commissions in this country. Monument with Standing Beast is comprised of four elements that suggest a standing animal, a tree, a portal and an architectural form. The configuration invites viewers to enter the sculpture and echoes the dramatically open plan of the James R. Thompson Center...

Dubuffet coined the term "ART BRUT" which translates into "Raw Art" ... which he defines as art created outside the boundaries of official culture. In his words Art Brut are ... "Those works created from solitude and from pure and authentic creative impulses - where the worries of competition, acclaim and social promotion do not interfere - are, because of these very facts, more precious than the productions of professions".

The sculpture that adorns the exterior of the State of Illinois Building appears deceptively small in relation to the scale of the building. However, Freeform is actually two-and-a-half stories high and weighs three tons. The sculpture derives its title from one of Richard Hunt’s central ideas about the nature of abstract art—which is that it is freely formed. Whether made of bronze or steel, Hunt’s biomorphic forms often look as though they have been composed in an environment of low gravity. Animated by a series of curvilinear forms evocative of an active flame, Freeform, like other Hunt sculptures, seems capable of performing an infinite number of gestures, hinting at endless possibilities for its ultimate form.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

The Daley Plaza is the courtyard adjacent to the Richard J. Daley Center, which is the premier civic center of the City of Chicago in Illinois. The plaza serves more than 10,000 people a day..

The main building [Daley Center] behind the Picasso sculpture, was designed in the international architectural style by Jacques Brownson of the firm C. F. Murphy Associates and completed in 1965. At the time it was the tallest building in Chicago .

C.F.Murphy Associates, architect..Pablo Picasso, sculptor..1965, 1967 [Chicago Picasso]This building is an exceptional example of the International Style and was Chicago's first major public building to be disigned in a modern, rather than historically-derived style. Innovative for its time are the building's eighty-seven foot spans of steel framing, it's exceptional internal spatial flexibility, and the first-ever use of self-weathering Cor-Ten steel as an exterior "skin" for a skyscraper. The monumental sculpture on the building's plaza, also fabricated of Cor-Ten steel, was designed by Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.Designated on November 6, 2002..Richard M. Daley, MayorCommission on Chicago Landmarks..

Eternal Flame Memorial..

Construction finish: 1972

It was dedicated on August 22, 1972. The eternal flame is Chicago's first memorial to honor the dead from four wars, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Eternal Flame Memorial at Daley Plaza is a granite slab bearing a bronze circular disk containing a natural gas flame that burns perpetually. The inscription reads as follows: Eternal flame in memory of the men and women who have served in our armed forces. Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves and Merchant Marines. City officials created the Eternal Flame in response to veterans organization leaders' pleas for a memorial that would serve as a monument to deceased service personnel. The flame which burns continuously was on August 22, 1972 by Albina Nance, who was then President of the Illinois Gold Star Mothers, an organization of the mothers of fallen service members.
# For more, click here..

During holiday time there is a wonderful Christmas Market in the Daley Plaza .

The main building [Daley Center] behind the Picasso sculpture, was designed in the international architectural style by Jacques Brownson of the firm C. F. Murphy Associates and completed in 1965. At the time it was the tallest building in Chicago ...

Friday, October 26, 2007

Continued from the post on the Daley Plaza..
Eternal Flame Memorial..
Construction finish: 1972 "This is the heart of Chicago and I know the heart of Chicago is with us today."
With those words, Mayor Richard J. Daley dedicated an eternal flame to the Daley Center Plaza. When it was dedicated on August 22, 1972, the eternal flame was Chicago's first memorial to honor the dead from four wars, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The Eternal Flame Memorial at Daley Plaza is a granite slab bearing a bronze circular disk containing a natural gas flame that burns perpetually. The inscription reads as follows: Eternal flame in memory of the men and women who have served in our armed forces. Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves and Merchant Marines.

City officials created the Eternal Flame in response to veterans organization leaders' pleas for a memorial that would serve as a monument to deceased service personnel. The flame which burns continuously was lit on August 22, 1972 by Albina Nance, who was then President of the Illinois Gold Star Mothers, an organization of the mothers of fallen service members.

This was initially called "The Sun, the Moon and One Star" and later renamed Miró's Chicago ..From the City of Chicago's, Public Art Program website..The playfully poetic images of Joan Miró’s art comprise a private mythology derived from the artist’s memories of his homeland in Catalonia, Spain. Using his unique visual symbolism, Miró imbued this sculpture with the mystical presence of an earth deity, both cosmic and worldly. Shapes and forms found in this composition evoke celestial imagery and common objects. The bell-shaped base draws the viewer’s gaze downward, symbolizing Miró’s association of the female form with the earth. The sphere at center represents the moon while the shape of the face is derived from that of a ceramic hook. The fork projecting from the top of the head is symbolic of a star, with individual tines representing rays of light...

About Me

All the images in this blog and my other blogs, have been produced by me. See and enjoy the images. But please do not use or reproduce any of these images without written permission.
Contact at: jyoti[at]lensimpressions[dot]net